Ruth Gourneau

Ruth Jane Gourneau, 54, of Aberdeen, SD, passed away Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Avera St. Luke’s Hospital, surrounded by her family.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Monday, March 27, 2023, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Aberdeen with visitation one hour before Mass. Father Mitchell McLaughlin will be officiating.

Visitation will be 5-7 p.m., Sunday, at the mortuary with a liturgical wake and rosary at 7 p.m. BYOB for a social gathering at Schriver’s Memorial Fellowship Center following the liturgical wake service.

Burial will be at a later date at Sacred Heart Cemetery.

Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements.  Family and friends may sign the online guestbook and also view the service at www.schriversmemorial.com.

Ruth Jane Gourneau, age 54, loving mother and adoring wife passed away on the 18th of March. She was surrounded by her family. Ruth was born July 3rd, 1968, in Jamestown, ND, and grew up as the youngest of five siblings. Ruth was influenced by her family to be a loving and caring woman, always giving her time to others, and she incorporated that into her motherhood. Ruth graduated from Kensal High School in 1986 before moving to Aberdeen to attend college at Northern State University. While attending school she worked at The Last Chance Bar where she met the love of her life. For their first date, they went golfing at Lee Park. As they were on hole number three, Ruth whiffed the ball and let out her big laugh, and shot Joe her great big smile. This is when he knew she was “the one.”

Ruth married Joseph Todd Gourneau on September 7, 1991.  The couple made their home in Aberdeen and were blessed with two children, Joseph and Jessica.  Ruth was the strongest and most selfless person her family knew, and she always put others first.  Her family, grandchildren, and dogs Rex and Delta were the focus of her world at all times. Ruth was a great athlete and loved to golf, bowl, play softball, and basketball.

Ruth was a hard worker and continued to work up until the time illness prevented her from doing so.  She worked at Outback Sporting Goods, The Chrysler Center for ten years, Lee Park, Expetec, and Progressive Financial. She met many great friends through work and cherished them all.

On November 4, 2015, Ruth received a double lung transplant at the University of Minnesota. It was at that moment Ruth went from, “trying to stay alive, to living.” She spent this gifted time with her family and loved spending as much time as she could with her precious grandchildren, whom she adored. Ruth and Joe traveled to Minnesota every three months for her checkups and enjoyed taking in many Vikings and Twins games together while they were there. She and her family will be forever thankful for her donor, Simon, and his family.

Ruth started working during the summers following her transplant at Lee Park Golf Course. She often walked to and from work, which was far from where she was before the transplant. She loved her Lee Park family, especially her coworkers and her Tuesday morning Senior Men’s League.

Grateful for having shared Ruth’s life are her husband Joe of 31 years; her two children: Joseph (Kristen) Gourneau of Omaha NE, and Jessica (Levi Logan) Gourneau of Aberdeen; five grandchildren: Kashdyn, Owen, Maverick, Beckett, and Lukasey; two sisters: Alane (Doug) Wynkoop of Texas, Deb (Randy) Vikre of Cass Lake, MN; two brothers: Jay Kulla of Fargo, ND, and Rick (Janell) Kulla of Columbus, MT; sister-in-law, Shawn (Brad) Hart of Frederick, SD; her mother and father-in-law Delilah and Joe Sr; nieces and nephews: Tyler, Dylan, Krista, Trishia, Zack, Kasie, Alex, and Kelli and their families; and many great-nieces and nephews.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents Edmund “Pete” and Jane (Craven) Kulla; one infant sister, Joan; her dog Rosie; and special family friend Arlon Rott.

Ruth is definitely enjoying playing catch again with her father in heaven.

In Ruth fashion, the family requests casual dress/golf attire.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.